Portable building



July 17, 1962 F. E. BIGELOW PORTABLE BUILDING Filed Nov. 12, 1957 F/oya ff. 5/96 /0w INVENTOR. 24

BY m KW ATTOfP/V) 3,044,129 PORTABLE BUHLDING Floyd E. Bigelow, 3331 Robertson St., Houston, Tex. Filed Nov. 12, 1957, Ser. No. 695,626 Claims. (Cl. 20-2) This invention relates to portable buildings and more particularly to a portable house or cabin structure made up of parts which are capable of being folded into a compact assemblage for convenient storage or transportation.

The invention has for an important object the provision of a foldable or collapsible house structure wherein parts of the structure are adapted to form a-box or container in which the remaining parts may be placed to form a unitary package for convenient transportation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable building structure embodying foldable sides and separate corner posts adapted to be fitted together and having means forreleasably securing the same in assembled relation.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a portable building having sides and corner posts adapted to be releasably connected together and which are shaped for interfitting engagement to form a rigid and strongly braced structure when assembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide a building structure having sides which may be folded into a compact arrangement and a floor which is adapted to serve as a container for the parts of the structure, whereby the structure may be formed into a unitary package of convenient size for transportation and may be easily and quickly unpacked and assembled for use.

The above and other important objects and advantages of the invention may best be understood from the following detailed description, constituting a specification of the same, when considered. in conjunction with the annexed drawings, wherein FIGURE 1 is a perspective view, illustrating the invention and showing the same in folded condition and formed into a unitary package for transportation or storage;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary end view, partly in crosssection and on a somewhat enlarged scale, showing the container parts of the invention in unfolded and assembled condition to form the floor or platform portion of the building and the manner in which the sides of the building are assembled therewith; t

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view, on a reduced scale showing the building of the invention in completely erected condition; and FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, horizontal, cross-sectional view on a greatly enlarged scale, showing details of construction and the manner of assembling of a corner of the building;

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, the invention is illustrated herein in connection with a portable building of the folding type, having side walls generally indicated at each of which is made up of upper and lower sections 12 and 14, respectively, arranged to be placed in superposed relation, one on top of another, to form a compact pile or stack when disassembled, and to be assembled with the lower edge of an upper section resting upon the upper edge of a lower section in erecting the walls of the building. The upper and lower sections may be hingedly or otherwise secured together to permit one section to be folded upon another when disassembling the structure whereby the sections may be formed into a compact stack as previously mentioned.

The upper and lower sections of one wall of the structure may be provided with a door, made with upper and lower panels, such as those indicate-d at 16 and 18, which are 'hingedly or otherwise secured together to be folded 3,Ml,l29 Patented July 17, .1962

fir. ii

otherwise constructed for convenient folding to be placed with the stacked wall sections.

A floor is provided for the building, which takes the form of two outer, tray-like sections 22 and 24, constructed to be assembled as shown in FIGURE 1 to form a box or container within which the stacked walls and other parts of the structure may be placed, when the building is taken apart, to form a unitary package en closing the parts. Each of the floor sections 22 and 24 has a ledge strip 26 along one side thereof, and the sections are secured together along their opposite sides by loose pin hinges 28 when the box is closed. The ledge strips 26 project outwardly from the sides of the box sections a sufiicient distance to protect the hinges along one side of the box, and protecting strips 30 are provided On the sections along the other side of the box to protect the hinges thereon from being damaged by contact with objects during thetransportation of the packaged structure.

IAn inner or intermediate floor section 32 is provided, which is of the same dimensions as the bottom of each of the tray-like sections 22 and 24, and which is secured to the bottom of the section 24 along each side thereof by means of loose pin hinges 34. The floor secti on32 may be provided with longitudinally extending bottom strips 36, forming skids on which the unitary package may be moved when desired.

In erecting the building the pins are removed from the loose pin hinges 28 and 34, to permit the box to be opened and the tray sections 22 and 24 to be placed in side by side, spaced apart relation with their open tops down and their bottoms elevated above the ground, as illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, whereupon the intermediate floor section 32 may be inserted between the traylike sections, resting upon the ledge strips 26, to complete the floor. The hinges 28 and 34 are so positioned thatthe hinge leaves on the intermediate floor section will fit the hinge leaves on the tray-like sections when the floor is in assembled condition, so that the hinge pins may be re-inserted to hold the floor sections together.

With the floor thus erected the side walls of the building may be unfolded and positioned with the lower edges of the lower wall sections 14 seated along the side margins of the floor. Suitable fastening means is provided for securing the walls to the floor, such as hooks, one of which is shown at 38 in FIGURE 2, pivotally secured to the lower margins of the walls and bolts 40 extending through the sides of the tray-like sections 22 and 24, with which the hooks are engageable and having wing nuts 42 thereon.

The side wall sections are of somewhat smaller dimensions than the internal width and length of the tray-like sections, to permit the side wall sections to be placed in the box, and the side walls are secured together at the corners of the structure by corner posts, such as that indicated at 44- in FIGURE 4. Each of these corner posts takes the form of an upright strip, of wood or other suitable material, having spaced apart longitudinally extending V notches 46, positioned for engagement with the vertical edges of two of the walls at a corner of the structure, and closing the gap between the walls. An inside corner strip 48 is provided, whose opposite sides are in engagement with the vertical marginal portions of the walls inside of the corner, and suitable means, such as bolts, one of which is shown at 50 in FIGURE 4, are extended through aligned openings in the corner posts and the inside corner strip to hold the corner post and strip in assembled relationlwith the walls. The bolts 50 may be provided with wing nuts 52, whereby the corners may the corner posts and roof structure.

be easily assembled and disassembled. Each of the bolts 50 may also havea coil spring 54 thereon, positioned between the corner post 44 and the corner strip 48, whereby the post and strip will be held in spaced apart relation when the wing nuts 52 are loosened, to permit the vertical edgesof the side walls to be readily inserted into the.

notches 46 preparatory to tightening the corner post struc ture. a

The roof may be of any conventionaldesign, to be readily attached to the Walls or removed therefrom and which is capable of being folded up to be placed in the box when the building is taken down. V v

In disassembling and packing the building the roof is removed and the walls are disconnected from the door by releasing the books 38. ,The corner posts may then be removed by loosening the wing nuts 52, whereupon the sections of the walls may be folded to form a compact stack. The door sections are then disconnected by removing the pins from the hinges, whereupon the tray-like sections 22. and 24 may be assembled into :a box in which the stacked wall'sections may be placed, together with The intermediate floor section may then be attached to the tray-like section 24 by the hinges 34, andthe box may be held closed by the hinges 28. 7

Suitable means such as the handles shown at 56, may be provided on the box, for convenient lifting of the same.

4 permit the walls to be formed into a rectangular stack for insertion in the container and adapted to 'be positioned with the lower edges of the Walls resting on the floor and the side edges of the Walls in upright, parallel relation when the walls are unfolded.

3. In a portable building, rectangular, tray-like elements adapted to be placed in inverted, parallel, horizontally spacedrelation with their bottoms positioned to form portions of an elevated floor and to be assembled to form a box-like container, a floor panel shaped to be removably positioned between said elements to complete the floor, spaced apart, parallel strips on one faceof said panel positioned to support the panel to form a platform upon which'the container may rest, demountable walls formed in rectangular sections hingedly connected together to be folded into superposed relation to permit the walls to be formed into a rectangular stack for insertion in the container and adapted to be positioned with the It' will thus be seen that the invention, constructed and Having thus clearly shown and described the invention,

what is claimed as new Patent is:

1. In a portable building, rectangular, tray-like elements adapted to be placed in inverted parallel relation with the bottoms of the elements positioned to form portions of an elevated floor and to be assembled to form a box-like container, demountable walls formed in rectangular sections hinged-1y connected together to be folded into superposed relation to permit the walls to be formed into a rectangular stack for insertion in the container and adapted to be positioned on said floor with the side edges of the walls in upright, parallel relation when the walls are unfolded, corner posts having spaced parallel, longitudinally extendinggrOOVes shaped to fit the adjacent upright edge portions of the walls when assembled therewith to formthe corners of the building, corner elements movably supported on the posts for movement toward and away from the posts and positioned for engagement with the inner faces of said adjacent edge portions when said edge portions are in said grooves to hold the 'walls'in assembled relation, and yieldable means positioned for coaction with said elements and posts to yieldingly hold the elements in inwardly spaced relation to the posts to permit said edge portions to be inserted between said elements and osts. p 2. In a portable building, rectangular, tray-like elements adapted to be placed in inverted, parallel, horizontally spaced relation with their bottoms positioned to form portions of an elevated floor and to be assembled to form a. box-like container, a door panel shaped to be removably positioned between said elements to complete the floor, demountable walls formed in sections hlngedly connected together to be folded into superposed relation to and desired to secure by Letters lower edges of the Walls resting on the floor and the side edges of the walls in upright, parellel relation when the walls are unfolded.

4. In a portable building, rectangular, tray-like elements adapted to be placed in inverted, parallel, horizontally spaced relation with their bottoms positioned to form portions of an elevated floor and to be assembled to form a box-like container, an external strip on and extending along one side of each element in spaced parallel relationto the bottom of the element in position to extend inwardly between the elements below the level of the floor when the elements are placed in such inverted, spaced apart relation, a floor panel shaped to be removably supported between the elements on said strips to complete the floor, demount-able walls formed in sections shaped to be assembled intosuperposed relation to form a rectangular stack for insertion in the container and to be positioned in edgewise abutting relation to permit the walls to be erected on the floor with the lower edges of the'walls restingon the floor and the side edges of the walls in upright, parallel relation. r

5. -In a portable building, rectangular, tray-like elements adapted to be placed in inverted, parallel, horizontally spaced relation with their bottoms positioned to form portions of an elevated floor and to be assembled to form a box-like container, external means on the sides of the elements positioned for coaction to releasably secure the elements together to hold the container closed, an external strip on'and extending along one side of each element in spaced parallel relation to the bottom of the element in position to lie above and beneath said external means when the container is closed and to extend between the elements below the level of the floor when the elements are placed in such inverted, spaced apart relation, a floor panel shaped to be removably supported between the elements on said strips to complete the floor, and demountable walls formed in sections shaped to be assembled into superposed relation to form a rectangular stack for insertion in the container and adapted to be positioned in edgewise abutting relation to permit the walls to be erected on the floor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 410,783 'Ohadd Sept. 10, 1889 760,974 Dyarrnan et al. May 24, 1904 1,307,973 Hester June 24, 1919 1,424,222 Tuttle Aug. 1, 1922 1,949,426 Log et al. Mar. 6, 1934 2,293,569 Sonino Aug. 18, 1942 2,301,089 Stevens Nov. 3, 1942 2,355,663 McGlothlin Aug. 15, 1944 2,837,777 White June 10, 1958 2,894,290 'Lundstedt July 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 105,548 Great'Britain Oct. 18,1938 

